By Anthony Divinagracia of uaapsports.com
photo by Dan Avila
It was the night when the UAAP’s best shared the limelight – at least on stage.
But beyond the dimly lit podium that revered Season 72′s outstanding athletes, young actor and swimming sensation Ernest Lorenzo “Enchong” Dee merited extra – and “unexpected” – attention from spectators and fellow awardees that mobbed him at the sidelines of the UAAP Awards Night on Thursday last week at the FEU Auditorium.
By Alder T. Almo of UAAPSports.com
photo contributed by Dan Avila
Los Banos, Laguna – Matinee actor Enchong Dee led De La Salle University (DLSU) to end its six-year drought in the men’s division of the 72nd UAAP swimming championships on Sunday at the Trace Aquatics Center.
Dee, who is a mainstay of ABS-CBN teleserye Katorse, claimed his third Most Valuable Player (MVP) award as he won seven golds for DLSU.
Dee ruled the 800-meter freestyle (9:14.84), 200-meter Individual Medley (2:15.42), 100-meter butterfly (57.38), 50-meter butterfly (26.37), 400-meter Individual Medley (5:01.09), 1,500-meter freestyle (17:39.69) and 200-meter butterfly (2:13.74).
Dee’s exploits accounted for 63 of DLSU’s 240 points to top the competition after falling short last season. DLSU, the runner up last season, won its first men’s swimming title since 2002.
Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) improved on its fourth place finish last year as it wound up runner up with 196 points. Last year’s champion UST managed only 189 points to end up third.
In the distaff side, University of the Philippines (UP) swam its way to the title after emerging with 257 points.
The gold medal finishes of veterans Marielle Infantado sa 200-meter butterfly (2:32.80), rookie Claire Adorna sa 50-meter butterfly (32.19) and 4×100-meter medley relay team of Infantado, Andrea Belludo, Queenie Lao at Kristine Lapiz (4:50.10) clinched the title for the UP Lady Maroons.
Season 71 champion ADMU fell short this time with only 233.5 points while DLSU came in third with 137.5 points.
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Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awardees:
1. John Paul Gomez – Men’s Chess (5th in 5 seasons)
2. Aices Salvador – Women’s Chess MVP (2nd in 2 seasons)
3. Ernest Dee – Men’s Swimming MVP (2nd in 2 seasons)
Rookie of the Year (ROY) Awardees:
1. Timothy Yap – Men’s Swimming
2. Melissa Gohing – Women’s Beach Volleyball
Individual Awardees/Medalists:
Taekwondo
1. David Rivera – Gold, Welterweight, Men’s Division
2. Eunice Alora – Gold, Bantamweight, Women’s Division
Chess
1. John Paul Gomez – Board 1 Gold, Men’s Division
2. Aices Salvador – Board 1 Gold, Women’s Division
3. Jennifer Advincula – Board 3 Silver, Women’s Division
4. Susan Grace Neri – Board 4 Bronze, Women’s Division
5. Dominique Layugan – Board 5 Gold, Women’s Division
Basketball
1. Joseph Casio – Mythical Five, Men’s Division
2. Rico Maierhofer – Mythical Five, Men’s Division
Judo
1. Rick Jayson Senales – Gold, Half-heavyweight, Men’s Division
2. Gerard Teruel – Gold, Extra-lightweight, Men’s Division
3. CJ Santa Ana – Gold Lightweight, Men’s Division
4. Antonio Fernando – Bronze, Middleweight, Men’s Division
5. Renelyn Benigay – Gold, Extra-lightweight, Women’s Division
6. Jerika Senales – Bronze, Half-middleweight, Women’s Division
7. Dian So – Bronze, Heavyweight, Women’s Division
Swimming
1. Ernest Dee – 7 Golds out of 7 events
Gold, 50m Butterfly – Tied own record of 25.81
Gold, 800m Freestyle
Gold, 200m IM
Gold, 400m IM
Gold, 100m Butterfly
Gold, 200m Butterfly
Gold, 1500m Freestyle
2. Quilala, Maxim – 3 Golds, 2 Silvers
Gold, 50m Backstroke
Gold, 100m Backstroke
Gold, 200m Backstroke
Silver, 200m IM
Silver, 400 IM
3. Timothy Yap – 2 Golds, 3 Silvers
Gold, 400m Freestyle
Gold, 200m Freestyle
Silver, 800m Free
Silver, 200m Backstroke
Silver, 1500m Freestyle
4. Alcantara, Tessa – 2 Golds, 2 Bronzes
Gold, 50m Breaststroke
Gold, 100m Breaststroke
Bronze, 50m Free
Bronze, 400m Freestyle Relay
5. Quilala, Carmina – 2 Silvers, 1 Bronze
Silver, 50m Butterfly
Silver, 50m Backstroke
Bronze, 100m Backstroke
6. Quilala, Emmanuel – 1 Silver, 2 Bronzes
Silver, 50m Butterfly
Bronze, 50m Breaststroke
Bronze, 200m Breaststroke
7. Sedilla, Janina – 1 Bronze, 50m Breaststroke
8. Cornelio, Kimberly – 1 Bronze, 400m Freestyle Relay
9. De Guzman, Marie Francesca – 1 Bronze, 400m Freestyle Relay
10. Uy, Chloe Ekatrina – 1 Bronze, 400m Freestyle Relay
11. Alcantara, Althea – 1 Bronze, 400m Freestyle Relay
12. Racelis, Alberto Javier – 1 Bronze, 800m Freestyle Relay
13. Padua, Brian Rafael – 1 Bronze, 800m Freestyle Relay
14. Huelgas, Nikko Bryan – 1 Bronze, 800m Freestyle Relay
15. Ty, Kevin Christopher – 1 Bronze, 800m Freestyle Relay
